


A Fragmented Chapter

by Theatrically_scattered



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: AU, Gen, Tags will change as the story goes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-04
Updated: 2016-11-04
Packaged: 2018-08-29 02:26:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,563
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8471971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Theatrically_scattered/pseuds/Theatrically_scattered
Summary: During the final battle, with Xehanort defeated, the catalyst refuses to go down at the hands of light. He expires, but not before damaging the sky into pieces.





	

Everything had led to this moment. Training Kairi and Lea to use keyblades, freeing the lost master Aqua from the Realm of Darkness, waking Ventus, recovering Terra, freeing Roxas and Xion from Sora's heart. They all led to this moment.

Riku and Sora stood side to side, facing the catalyst of all their suffering and pain. Xehanort stood alone, keyblade in hand and villainous smirk on his face. Riku charged at him, using his raw strength to provide an opening for Sora to flank him from his blind side. Kairi, alongside Aqua, provided offensive magic as well as defensive spells. Ventus, Roxas, Xion and Terra were tasked with eliminating the monsters that Xehanort spawned.

It was a long and grueling battle, Riku's hands showing raw palms and arms sporting new cuts; Sora only gaining scrapes from being thrown aside by Xehanort's barrier spells. With a quick cast of curaga, the brunette charged again, giving Riku a chance to land a critical strike. Seeing his opening, Riku slashed against the dark master.

Xehanort froze. He gazed down at his wound, and gave pause. Sora saw this as an opportunity and struck the final blow against Xehanort's back.

Xehanort made no sound. He was silent as he fell to his knees, blade unceremoniously dropped to the ground. It clattered as it disappeared into a fog of darkness. The fog spread to Xehanort, pooling at his legs, then slowly crawling its way up to his chest.

Sora moved to join Riku; both staring at the slow demise of Xehanort.

"It's over, Xehanort. You'll never upset the balance of light and darkness for your own gain ever again." Riku declared, raising his weapon to point at the felled master.

There were many things everyone had expected to happen when Xehanort was defeated. Laughter was not one of them.

"Fools...did you truly believe this is the end? It might be for my heart...but not for the darkness inside!"

As the darkness around him swarmed, he shot out an arm; from his outstretched hand, a sphere of pitch darkness launched itself towards Riku. Having no time to doge, he felt a hand press to his chest and the impact of his legs and hands hitting the ground. Sora had shoved Riku behind him, successfully guarding Riku from the dark orb Xehanort sent.

Xehanort's laughter crackled into echoes as he faded into the darkness, his forgotten keyblade following suit.

"Sora!" Everyone had rushed to his side, Sora now holding his chest with a single hand, fighting his grimace with a smile.

"Riku, are you okay?" He asked behind gritted teeth.

"Yeah, I'm okay." He answered.

"Good. I'm glad...I helped.." Sora managed to say before sinking to his knees, darkness curling around his hand.

"Sora! What's happening?!" Kairi asked, terror in her eyes as she watched the swirls grow larger and thicker.

"I don't know...I think Xehanort...did something to my heart..."

Ventus gave a small grunt of pain, clutching at the spot where his heart was. "I can feel it too after being inside Sora's heart for so long. It's painful, like every dark thought and terrible feeling are being experienced all at once. It's minor for me, but it's worse for Sora.."

The darkness soon had wrapped itself around Sora's body, leaving only his neck and head exposed. It looked as if he was disintegrating. Kairi had cast curaga twice, but Aqua stopped her as it proved useless.

"Aqua, you must know something, right? What's happening to him?" Riku asked, his tone sounding desperate for an answer to what was happening to his friend.

"I-I don't know. I've never seen anything like this happen before.."

Sora had fallen over, his face looking as if he would fall asleep at any moment.

"Sora!" Riku rushed to his side, grabbing one of Sora's hands.

"I'm glad...I was able to protect you..."

Sora's eyes were struggling to keep themselves open. Riku was growing more panicked; he could feel his blood rushing in his ears. He felt useless without being able to help Sora. Riku had darkness of his own, he had to know something, but nothing was coming to mind. He had never seen anything like this either.

"Riku..."

Sora's tired voice called Riku's attention from his thoughts.

"Riku...I'm happy...that you were my friend. Kairi too...I'm happy I knew you..."

"Sora...?"

Riku received no response as Sora closed his eyes. The darkness engulfed Sora then, nearly swarming around his body. Then suddenly, a bright light shone from his chest, shattering the darkness encasing him. From him came a bright light that floated above his body. The light shone before shattering into pieces; the fragments circling around Sora's form before shooting up into the sky. A fragment had lingered, which Riku managed to grab.

Riku felt warmth in his hands. For some reason, he was reminded of his childhood with Sora; playing on their island, exploring, sparring, and examining the door in their secret place. The times before Kairi had arrived.

"What is this..?" He murmured, cradling the fragment in his hands.

Terra lifted Sora in his arms, Sora's unconscious form not stirring from the movement; head rolling back and arms slumped on his middle.

"I think we should see Master Yen Sid." Aqua said, moving closer to Terra to examine Sora. "He was the first I went to when Ven fell asleep. Maybe he can help us?"

Everyone traveled to the master's domain, his tower that existed on the outskirts of Twilight Town. Climbing the winding stairs inside, they reached his chamber's door; Riku had to restrain himself from barging inside.

"Master Yen Sid, something unknown has befallen Sora." Aqua began as Terra brought Sora forward.

Yen Sid made no comment as he rose from his seat. His piercing eyes examined the sleeping boy's face, bringing a hand to hover above Sora's heart.

"We defeated Xehanort, but I fear he has done something terrible. In his final moments he amassed an orb of pure darkness and aimed it for Riku; but Sora took the blow instead. He was covered in darkness, but his heart came forth to vanquish it. But, his heart shattered. Everyone saw the fragments shoot towards the sky and disappear." Aqua explained.

The master made a noise of agreement before ending his examination of Sora.

"This is very dire. Xehanort has shattered Sora's heart, forcing it to be expelled from his body and become nothing more than an empty shell. Normally, a person's shattered heart would cease to exist entirely; but Sora's strength I believe, would manage to have his heart preserve itself."

"What do you mean?" Lea asked. "If his heart is gone, would that mean he's something like a Nobody?"

"No, his heart would have to remain whole for the birth of a Nobody. And you should know, Nobodies do not truly lack hearts, only the emotions of one."

"You said his heart was strong enough to preserve itself. How?" Xion inquired, casting worried glances to her copy's figure.

"When a heart shatters, its fragments disappear immediately, leaving no chance for it to be repaired. With Sora, from what you have told me, it sounds as though his heart's fragments have escaped to other worlds, hiding themselves from further harm. Though which worlds they landed in, I do not know."

"Riku, didn't you have one?" Kairi said.

Riku opened his palm to reveal the fragment he had managed to catch. It glittered brightly, colors moving within it and a mess of voices speaking at once created a hum.

Yen Sid gently took the fragment from the newest keyblade master, instructing Terra to lay Sora on the ground gently. He turned the fragment over many times, examining every inch he could make of it.

With Sora laid on the floor, Yen Sid walked over and knelt at his side.

"Riku. As you did when he fell in to sleep, I ask that you open his heart. It is too dangerous for you to dive in, as his heart is gone, there is nowhere for you to go."

Riku nodded as he held his keyblade above Sora, concentrating on unlocking him.

Where Sora's heart would have appeared, a cold, empty space manifested. Approaching the space, Yen Sid held out the fragment. The fragment seemed to respond, slowly floating towards the space. The emptiness looked as if it was swallowing the fragment, it disappearing in the void. The space then shifted, a small area filled with a piece Riku recognized when he entered Sora's heart, Sora's Station of Awakening.

It changed again, a picture coming into view. Riku recognized it; a memory of a day they spent as kids playing on their island.

"It's still so cool that you found this place!" Sora's young voice exclaimed in amazement. "It's like our own world!"

"Yeah. A world with just us, exploring, treasure hunting, sparring. How much better could it get?" Riku's obscured child self replied.

"If we figured out a way to open that weird door?"

"You're right," Riku laughed, "that would be better."

"What do you think's behind it? Pirate treasure, the biggest cave with the coolest monsters in existence?"

"Maybe it's a way to a new world?"

"There you go again. Do you really wanna leave this place that badly?"

"Well...yeah."

"But why?! Do you not like it here anymore? Did I do something and now you hate me and wanna leave so you never see me again?" Sora cried out.

"Sora...I could never hate you. You're my best friend. It's just, do you remember hearing about that kid who left the island years ago?"

"Y...Yeah...."

"He hasn't come back. Maybe he found a new world that's better than this one. More exciting. And I want to take you with me. We could go on adventures all the time, just the two of us!"

"Really..?"

"Of course! If I find a way off the island, I'm taking you with me. There's so much out there we don't know, and I want my best friend to be with me. Are you with me?"

"Y-yeah!!"

"Then let's spend today finding a way to open that door. C'mon Sora!"

"Ah, wait for me, Ri-!"

The memory ended abruptly. Everyone was silent, and Riku felt a slight bit of embarrassment at the memory played in front of everyone.

"I see..." Yen Sid muttered, fingers combing through his beard. "So that is how his heart protected itself."

"Master Yen Sid? What are you talking about?" Aqua asked.

Yen Sid couldn't reply as Sora stirred. His eyes fluttered open, groaning as he turned his head to the side slightly. Aqua and Terra stepped back, everyone else locked in place as they stared at Sora's eyes.

His eyes were devoid of light. Rather than being as bright as the midday sky of his home island, they were as dull as depths of the ocean. He stared ahead blankly before closing his eyes once again.

"His eyes..." Aqua breathed.

"This reminds me of when Ventus first arrived at Land of Departure. His eyes looked exactly like Sora's..." Terra said, voice trembling as he recalled making Ven collapse with his onslaught of questions. Ven himself shifted from foot to foot, unnerved with recalling that event from a decade ago.

"I have an idea of how Sora protected his heart. However, another fragment must be recovered for me to be absolutely certain." Yen Sid spoke, focused on the small fragment of Sora's heart still exposed.

"But how are we supposed to find them? There were multiple pieces, it'd be near impossible to find them among the worlds!" Roxas protested.

Yen Sid was silent, contemplating the task and its method of execution. He leaned down, removing Sora's crown necklace; he then walked back over to his seat, placing the crown in the center of his desk.

"Master Riku, Kairi, Master Aqua, Ventus, Roxas. Draw your keyblades."

Moving closer to his desk, they did as they were told and summoned their blades. They joined keyblades and focused their light on to the small crown. The necklace began to glow, shimmering from the sudden light it now gained.

"With this necklace, and now your imbuing of light from the connection you each share with his heart, you should be able to use it similar to a dousing rod. This is the best I could do."

"This is more than enough. Thank you." Riku said, reaching for the necklace.

"Wait. One final word."

Everyone looked to the retired master, giving him their full attention.

"As I have said, Sora's heart has shattered and has spread to other worlds to protect itself. However, it will also disguise itself for further safeguarding. It will take on the guise of something important in that world, whether it has been there for minutes or centuries. Recover the fragment and return here. Do not allow those with malice to take hold of it, as their darkness could corrupt it, and in turn harm Sora. That is all."

"Thank you, Master Yen Sid." Everyone said.

Regrouping outside the tower, everyone looked to Riku and Kairi.

"Looks like you two will be in charge of that. Shouldn't we get going?" Lea asked, arms crossed.

"Wait. Before we go, at least let me heal you all. We haven't really had the chance to rest, so it would be bad if we pushed ourselves too much." Kairi said.

Everyone agreed, letting her to tend to their injuries. As Kairi was treating the others, Aqua and Ven went to join Riku who was standing at the edge of land holding the tower.

"Riku...are you okay?" Aqua asked.

"It's my fault, isn't it? If I had reacted in time, Sora wouldn't have taken that blow for me. I'd be the one with the shattered heart, not him."

"It's too late for regrets; what's done is done." Aqua told him.

"Yeah, you can't beat yourself up over this." Ven chimed in. "Let's just focus on finding his heart fragments for now. Once we fix his heart, you can apologize to him then."

"I understand how you feel. I know it's awful to have a friend lose their heart. But we're all here to help you. If you ever need someone to talk to, I'll be here for you." Aqua told Riku, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.

Riku hummed in compliance, staring at the necklace he held in his hand. He expected the cool touch of metal when he picked it up, though now he was in slight awe of how warm it felt from the light poured into it by him and the others. The warmth made him think he was holding Sora's hand, something he had done often when they were children, but stopped doing once he and Sora were older and Kairi had begun hanging around them.

"Riku, I'm done." Kairi informed him.

"Right."

Riku looked over everyone, eyes settling on each person for a few seconds before moving on to the next. Taking a breath, he held up the necklace. The crown was still, but then began to be pulled diagonally towards somewhere away from him. The necklace stayed that way for some time before slowly falling back to its original state.

"Let's go."

And so the keyblade wielders had a new task at hand: repair Sora's heart.


End file.
